Kevin Stanley

1977 to 1980

Kevin is part of Matamata’s ‘Stanley’ dynasty. From 1927 Stanley’s have been in the building industry in Matamata.
Kevin completed four years at college and went straight into the family business and trained as an apprentice carpenter. Now he is Managing Director of the Stanley Group.
He was, like all the Stanley’s, very active in swimming and the local swimming club. (Father of Matt – member of the 2012 NZ Olympic team). He also had a passion for the snow from his school days and currently Kevin is a Director of RAL (Ruapehu Alpine Lifts Ltd).
Stanley’s have done everything in this town from business to Mayor of the Matamata District. Both his father and grandfather held the position of Mayor.
Following is a very interesting timeline of the Stanley Dynasty!

  • 1907 Edward Thomas Stanley (Kevin’s grandfather) attended Matamata College where he gained his Proficiency
  • 1927 Having completed his apprenticeship as a carpenter and joiner, Tom Stanley starts business in Matamata as E.T. Stanley, Builder. He was the first president of the Matamata Old Boys Association. His wife, Alice Oliver was also an ex-student of this school and later served on the Old Girls Association.
  • 1928 Tom purchased property on the corner of Firth St and Peria Road in Matamata – Stanley’s base
  • 1929 Stanley’s first major commercial contract – St Joseph’s Catholic School.
  • 1935 Stanley builds the first-ever members stand at Matamata Racing Club
  • 1940 Stanley builds new offices for the Matamata Borough Council
  • 1945 At the conclusion of the war, Stanley buys new plant and expands the joinery workshop with an additional 1300m². Tom and some building mates buy shares in the Henderson Timber Company, because materials are in short supply. At this time, buildings are mostly constructed from native timber – particularly rimu, matai and tawa.
  • 1946 Stanley builds 13 new shops in Matamata, almost doubling the town’s retail space
  • 1950 Stanley builds the first concrete floor houses in the Matamata area.
  • 1951 The 1950s were a busy time for Stanley, driven by housing shortages following the war
  • 1956 The last house with native timber framing is completed. Once trees became more difficult to recover, builders switched to treated pine.
  • 1958 Company registered as Stanley Construction Ltd. Directors are Tom and Alice Stanley, Don, Colin and Garry Stanley (Sons)
  • 1962 First major design and build project – Matamata Motors 1962 Ltd – at Arawa Street South.
  • 1968 First contract with Dominion Breweries Ltd to build Waharoa Tavern.
  • 1970 The late 60s and 70s are a busy time for Stanley. Projects include the Matamata Motor Inn, a supermarket in Arawa Street, Pohlen Hospital, a gate factory and extensive work at the Matamata Club. New Stanley office and hardware shop are completed
  • 1972 Tom Stanley dies
  • 1980 Stanley sells the Matamata corner site to KFC and relocates to 70 Firth Street, a site still occupied by the company. Three-story government department built in Whakatane.
    Extensive additions to the Whakapapa Skotel
  • 1985 Kevin Stanley acquires share in the company
  • 1988 RAL Knoll Ridge and workshop – the first project of many on Mt Ruapehu
  • 1989 RAL Iwikau workshop and staff quarters on Ruapehu. New National Bank for Morrinsville. Pohlen Hospital additions, Tokoroa RSA, Transpower microwave sites, Tatua Dairy Co.
  • 1996 DOC 10 bridge project in Tongariro National Park – replacement following Cave Creek disaster.
  • 1997 RAL Ski Shop, United Matamata Sports Club, Ohura Prison redevelopment
  • 1998 Extensions to the Wairakei Resort Hotel. Stanley Construction is awarded the contract for the new maths and science three-storey 4,000m² block at Tauranga Girls’ College. It was ground-breaking because the Ministry of Education hadn’t built three-story buildings in a long time
  • 2001 DOC Structure upgrades, Grand Chateau Villas, National Trout Centre, Pohlen Hospital Medical Centre
  • 2003 Restaurant Brands – Stanley builds or refurbishes KFC, Pizza Hutt and Starbucks sites from Kaitaia to Invercargill. New wing for the Grand Chateau, built to match existing architecture. First five-storey modular project in New Zealand
  • 2004 Projects for Fonterra at Hautapu, Reporoa, Litchfield – ethanol silo
  • 2005 Ahuriri modular. New 1100 m² joinery factory for Stanley Joinery
  • 2006 Stretton clothing factory, Morrinsville. Specialty bakery, Tirau. New World Supermarket, Turangi. Turoa Ski field café. Wairakei Resort, upgrade 40 luxury units. KFC, Pakuranga. Pizza Hut – Otara, New Lynn, Napier.
  • 2007 Turoa ski field High Noon Express chairlift, Mt Ruapehu. Delegates Wines. Ngata College – modular. CHH Whangarei Mill. Matamata College lecture theatre. Turtle Pool, Turangi.
  • DOC Kauaeranga Valley.
  • 2008 Hobbs Wharf. New World Heaphy Terrace, Hamilton. Qantas Lounges – refurbishment and upgrade. Albany High School – modular. Cape Reinga toilet block. TSB Takapuna fitout
  • 2009 KFC Whakatane. Cambridge High School gymnasium. RAL – Whakapapa ski area fire damage. Temporary Knoll Ridge café
  • 2010 Forest & Bird Lodge, Mt Ruapehu. Clytha Court Apartments. Rockfield Rd Apartments.
    Ruapehu Alpine Lifts – Knoll Ridge Café. Ruapehu Alpine Lifts – Cat Shed.
  • 2011 Flat pack buildings developed by Stanley Modular. 468 modules built for Auckland. University Student Accommodation. North Island Burger King Upgrades. BNZ Bank Fitouts
  • Britomart Retail Luxury Shopping Precinct. Farmlands Paeroa and Matamata
  •      Stanley Construction – 2011 National Winner
    The 2011 RMB Commercial Project Award winners: Knoll Ridge Cafe National Winner for the ‘Tourism & Leisure Project’ of the Year.
  • Another Gold for Stanley Construction
    Stanley took away a Gold Award at the 2010 Auckland Registered Master Builders Commercial Projects Awards for Casita Miro Winery, (Cat Vosper and Barnett Bond – ex Matamata) Waiheke Island. Category was Tourism and Leisure. A beautiful building built to last.
  • Stanley Construction Awarded Gold 2010
    Winning a Gold Award at the 2010 Waikato Registered Master Builders for Retail and Business, New World Morrinsville.

Don, Kevin’s father, attended Matamata College from 1946-1949, went into the family business and later was Mayor of Matamata from 1986-1989 and when Matamata became Matamata Piako District he was Deputy Mayor from 1989-1998. Don’s wife Jackie (Tapper) went to school here from 1950-52.
Colin and Garry Stanley, Don’s brothers were ex-students and part of the business and Jackie’s family Hec, Kay and Arthur also were ex-pupils.
The next generation – Lynette is a local business woman and has been Chairperson of the College Board of Trustees for a number of years and still serves on the Board. Lynette’s boys Jake and Luke are ex-students. Teresa was schooled here and also excelled in swimming. She is now the Business Manager of Watersafe NZ.
Kevin’s family Nick, Matt and Laura have done some or all of their schooling at Matamata. This college hasn’t been without a ‘Stanley” since the days of “Tom”.